Pledge
by Rowan and Sakura
Summary: Actions speak louder than words. Light tries to tell L that he is not Kira. Oneshot


Disclaimer: I am neither as creative as Tsugumi Ohba, nor as artistically talented as Takeshi Obata. I am merely a fangirl who cried her eyes out over…um, the-terrible-and-horrible-event-that-shall-not-be-named…

This is my first of eleven reasons. The pairing is Light/L. Enjoy.

**Eleven Reasons They Would Rather Kiss Each Other- And Yet Won't**

"_Pledge"_

Theme: Feet

"Light-kun, I sense that you are mad at me," L said after a moment. They had just returned from Misa's room and Light had not spoken since then. Neither had L, until that moment.

Light glanced coolly over at L. "What makes you say that, Ryuzaki?"

L balanced a sugar cube on the rim of his tea cup. "Because you are mad at me," he said. "Because of earlier."

Light rubbed his cheek absently. Not that it hurt, mind you, because L's words hurt more. "I suppose you are correct, Ryuzaki. I am upset. I think I have the right to be."

"Just as I have the right to believe that you are Kira."

Light stood from his seat and walked over to L. He bent over him and stared down at him. L continued to balance sugar cubes on his tea cup. "I understand the evidence, Ryuzaki, I know it all points to me. It all makes sense, except for one thing: I don't remember any of it. Can you sincerely believe that something as cold, as monstrous as killing could be erased that easily? Do you believe that, Ryuzaki?"

L glanced up at Light's face. Light's eyes were burning, he noticed absently. "…No, I don't believe it is that easy to forget. Killing is something that you could never erase from your soul."

Light grabbed L's chin and tilted it up, forcing L's eyes to bore into his. From across the room, Matsuda made to walk over and separate them again, but Yagami put out an arm to stop him. "They have to work this out on their own," he said.

L did not resist Light's firm grip on his chin but passively stared up at the young man. "Well?" Light hissed. "The eyes are the window to the soul, so tell me, what can you see? Tell me what my soul looks like, Ryuzaki!"

"…As I said before, you have the eyes of a killer. You are Kira, and all of the evidence is in your eyes." Light gasped and released L's chin, stepping back from the other man.

"So you really think I-"

"You have a black soul, Light-kun. That is what I see in your eyes." What he did not say was how the darkness had a fiery intensity that threatened to swallow him. What he did not say was how that darkness beckoned him, as though Satan himself were behind those eyes.

Light collapsed in his chair, deflated. He closed his eyes. Did he really look capable of killing? Was it written on his face that he was Kira…? But, impossible! He didn't remember any of it, and that is something you don't forget. Perhaps…perhaps Ryuzaki just did not want to be wrong? He had lied in the past, so why should he be honest with Light about this? Maybe he was hoping to break Light slowly with these accusations until he went mad and confessed? It certainly sounded like something L would do…only…

Light opened his eyes to see L still balancing sugar cubes on the rim of his tea cup. "You really think I'm Kira, then? That is truly what you think, Ryuzaki?"

"You are perceptive enough, Light-kun, to know the answer to that."

"Dammit…" Light stood suddenly and swooped down on L, knocking against the table and toppling the sugar cube tower as he did so. "Stop-STOP FUCKING WITH ME!"

"Light!"

"Yagami-kun!" Matsuda and Yagami came rushing over, but neither young man heard them, both of them focused on the other.

Light grabbed L's shirt and pulled him up until they were nose to nose. "I'm not Kira, Ryuzaki; I can't be Kira! I know about the evidence, I know it all makes sense, but I also know I. Am. Not. KIRA!"

"Is that a question, Light-kun? Do you need to hear me say that you are not Kira? Because I cannot do that at this moment." L stared calmly into Light's pink face, not fazed a bit by the outburst.

Light held him up a moment longer, then dropped him again. "You're right, I don't believe myself. But if you said that I was never Kira, that you no longer suspect me…I think I could believe it."

"Light-kun…" L said after a moment. Light glanced over and watched as L brought his knees back to his chin, his bare feet placed firmly on the chair. His toes curled around the edge as he leaned toward the table and began to rebuild his sugar cube tower.

"Ryuzaki?"

L turned his face toward Light. "Light-kun…I do not think you are Kira."

Light stared in shock, then glared at him. "_Liar."_

"Yes, I suppose so. It is just…I do not want you to be Kira. You are, after all, my friend, Light-kun." L gazed at him for another moment, then turned back to his tea cup.

Light sagged to the ground in defeat. There would never come a day when L would not suspect him, he realized. His gaze fell to the handcuff around his wrist. Was he Kira, had he been Kira? But the glare of the computers overheard reminded him that there was another Kira to catch and that, at least, he could prove to L that he wanted to stop this Kira and that he would do whatever it took to stop all the Kiras…even if that meant stopping himself…

"Ryuzaki," Light whispered from his seat on the floor.

"What is it Light-kun?"

Light moved closer to L's chair, then sat up on his knees and gazed up at L. "…I know you think I'm Kira; I cannot help wonder myself. But even if I were Kira in the past, I want to stop him now. I want to work with you, Ryuzaki, to catch Kira, even if that means catching me. I…" and at this Light placed his hands gently around L's feet. "…will…" His thumbs caressed the inside of each foot. "…always…" He brought his face closer until L could feel Light's breath on his toes. "…be…" Light smiled softly to himself and leaned in closer. "…here…" And he brought his lips to the top of L's foot, kissing the soft skin. "…with you."

"…L-light-kun…" L whispered.

Light looked up and smiled. "I promise you, we will solve this together. Ryuzaki…"

L flushed. "L-light-kun…again? I-I don't think I heard you right…"

Light bent his head over L's feet and brought his lips to his feet, pressing them more firmly against his skin. L whimpered and instinctively pulled his foot back, but Light held his foot down with his hand. Feeling daring, he sent his tongue out and licked L's foot for a second, then retracted, ending the contact.

"If you die, I die, understood?"

L nodded. "I…really do not want you to be Kira, Light-kun…"

Light nodded. "I know."

_End_

Oh wow that was fun. And just slightly sexual. Oh, I can just see that in my head…I hope you all can too, because it is a _very_ pleasant image. Anyway, that is the first reason! I hope I used "feet" enough as my "theme"- okay, it wasn't that much of a theme, but I sure as heck focused on L's feet in the end!

What I was trying for with that, by the way, was the symbolism of kissing someone's foot being a way of saying, "I am subservient to you," "I shall obey you," or "You are my god." In this way Light hopes to show to L that he will accept whatever his decision is on Kira, that he will even turn himself in if L believes one hundred percent that Light is Kira. Also it is supposed to illustrate some tension between them, and the fact that Light would perhaps like to kiss L, but under the circumstances (i.e. L suspects Light of being Kira) it would be inappropriate for them to kiss. Therefore, Light settles for kissing his foot.

Anyway! That is the first reason! I look forward to writing the second, but until then!- Rowan


End file.
